Twilight

Posted on 03 Dec 2013 @ 8:20pm by Lieutenant JG Tykhin Vess
Edited on on 04 Dec 2013 @ 6:50pm

600 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Episode 04 - Exodus
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 2, Observation Lounge
Timeline: MD10 - 1300 hours

[ON]

The crewman showed Tykhin into the observation lounge, then left the room. The crewman locked the doors and stood outside to escort the civilian back out of this restricted area when he was finished.

There was nobody else in the room. The viewscreen lit up with the Starfleet logo when Tykhin touched a button on one of table's consoles. The image quickly resolved into an older human with greying brown hair and a perpetually tired look.

"Admiral Wentworth," Tykhin greeted him, leaning casually against the table.

"Mr. Vess," Wentworth said in his strong British accent. Silence stretched between them for a while. "A scenario report," the admiral said finally and held up a PADD. "You ran a scenario... Against a Starfleet captain... And filed the report."

"I have to file the report," Tykhin pointed out. "Regs."

"Look smart-ass, what you have to do is explain to me why you thought it would be fun to run an ego-defense scenario when what you should have been doing was limiting the damage being done!"

Tykhin spread his hands. "I did what I could, Admiral. Amynta is Amynta, and the captain was emotionally compromised. She should have relieved herself from duty instead of jeopardizing first contact with a species that could wipe out the Fleet. Instead she had us boarding Borg cubes because she was worried about her friends. No logic at all. If first contact went bad, they were all going to die on the Galileo anyway. I figured if the records survived, they'd at least give insight into why things happened."

Wentworth just glared at Tykhin.

"Look, Saalm came out blazing, walked into a trap and gave me a shot. I took it. And by how she held up, I can tell you she'd make a great mark," Tykhin added.

Wentworth tossed the PADD aside. "I'll be sure to bring that up when I go talk about this shit show with the others," he said sarcastically. "Honestly, Tykhin. It's a science ship. A tiny science ship sent off to who knows where to stare at stars and moonbeams, not the f------ Enterprise! What were you expecting?"

Tykhin exhaled slowly. "More," he settled on after a moment.

"Well that's been your problem all along, hasn't it? You always expect more, and you don't give a damn who already decided it's enough. I let Amynta go to that little floating lab for a reason," Wentworth said, jabbing his finger down onto his desk for emphasis. "There's a reason that captain is in command of a flying telescope. But that just doesn't factor into it for you, does it? The fact that you could have done something constructive to shore things up just... Slipped your bloody Betazoid mind. Instead you think you can pronounce on how everyone else should be."

Tykhin pursed his lips. There was more truth to the Admiral's words than he wanted to admit.

"I guess that's why you sent me to be a junior officer on a bigger floating lab," Tykhin said bitterly.

"I guess it is," Wentworth agreed sharply. "This is going away. I've already spoken to Command. You never filed your scenario report or its accompanying reports and..."

Tykhin opened his mouth to speak but the admiral pressed on.

"...you can have your commission if you decide to come back. But you'll never work in Intel again, and you'll never work in Command. Is that understood?"

Tykhin swallowed. "Yes, admiral."

"Enjoy your retirement, you arrogant bastard," Wentworth said.

The viewscreen went dark and Tykhin was alone.

[OFF]

Tykhin Vess

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